Ending rough sleeping for good

Posted: 12 September 2022 8:53 am.

I’ve been away for a few days so just getting a chance to reflect on the Government's newly-updated Rough Sleeping Strategy, which seeks to end Rough Sleeping by 2024.

It’s another step forward in reaffirming the country’s commitment to preventing and dealing with rough sleeping, and the strategy clearly shows the importance of taking a joined-up, holistic and 'system-based' approach to tackling the issues.

This starts with a clear focus on prevention and stopping rough sleeping from happening in the first place. Everyone at Stepping Stones welcomes the continued commitment to funding new homes and support services to deal with the vast array of rough sleeping and homeless causes.

The strategy also recognises the growing problems of youth homelessness – something we are dealing with on the ground at Stepping Stones.

The new £200m single homeless accommodation programme is particularly welcome as this will better help address the previously under-funded issue of single-person homelessness.

However, we need to be mindful that the strategy comes at the start of a cost-of-living crisis, which is already leading to a new surge in homelessness.

Delivering genuinely affordable homes, providing appropriate and personalised wrap-around support to the most at risk of homelessness and strengthening the benefits system to address the root causes of homelessness are all needed if we want to end rough sleeping for good by 2024.

Dave Smith

Chief Executive

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